Students
POIR3970 – Global Environmental Politics
2020 – Session 2, Fully online/virtual
Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Jonathan Symons
Contact via jonathan.symons@mq.edu.au
Lv 2 25B/C Wally's Walk
Tuesdays 3-4 pm /by appointment
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
130cp at 1000 level or above OR (20cp in HIST or MHIS or POL or POIR or MHIX or POIX units at 2000 level)
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
Environmental issues are gaining prominence in both national and international politics and it is increasingly apparent that human activities are driving significant changes in our planet's environment. This unit provides a critical introduction to the theory and practice of global environmental politics and its interaction with other areas of global governance. Students will be introduced to debates in green political theory, to developing world perspectives on the environmental movement and to the ways in which environmental issues are conceptualised by major theories of international relations. Cases covered will be drawn from both Australian and international contexts. They will include climate change, geoengineering, energy security, biodiversity, human-animal relationships, food security and management of common pool resources such as forests, airsheds and fisheries.
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Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: Explain and critically evaluate theoretical and practical debates related to global environmental politics.
- ULO2: Identify and analyse interconnections between environmental issues and broader dynamics in international politics.
- ULO3: Discuss international institutional responses to the claims of environmental movements.
- ULO4: Communicate information accurately and clearly on global environmental issues in oral, written and graphic forms.
- ULO5: Synthesise knowledge to develop an informed perspective on 'environmental citizenship' and individual responsibilities concerning global environmental challenges.
General Assessment Information
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading quizzes | 15% | No | 6 quizzes in weeks 2-10 - Sunday 11pm before class. |
| Participation in online discussion forum | 15% | No | Within 7 days of each lecture |
| Research Essay | 45% | No | Tuesday 6 October 5pm - Week 9 |
| Take home exam | 25% | No | Released Monday Wk 13 2pm. Due Thursday 11pm 5 November |
Reading quizzes
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 6 quizzes in weeks 2-10 - Sunday 11pm before class.
Weighting: 15%
Quizzes based on weekly readings – dates and details provided on ilearn.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Explain and critically evaluate theoretical and practical debates related to global environmental politics.
- Identify and analyse interconnections between environmental issues and broader dynamics in international politics.
- Communicate information accurately and clearly on global environmental issues in oral, written and graphic forms.
Participation in online discussion forum
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Within 7 days of each lecture
Weighting: 15%
Participation in online discussion forum
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Explain and critically evaluate theoretical and practical debates related to global environmental politics.
- Identify and analyse interconnections between environmental issues and broader dynamics in international politics.
- Discuss international institutional responses to the claims of environmental movements.
- Communicate information accurately and clearly on global environmental issues in oral, written and graphic forms.
- Synthesise knowledge to develop an informed perspective on 'environmental citizenship' and individual responsibilities concerning global environmental challenges.
Research Essay
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 45 hours
Due: Tuesday 6 October 5pm - Week 9
Weighting: 45%
Essay questions and marking criteria will be provided on ilearn.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Explain and critically evaluate theoretical and practical debates related to global environmental politics.
- Identify and analyse interconnections between environmental issues and broader dynamics in international politics.
- Discuss international institutional responses to the claims of environmental movements.
- Communicate information accurately and clearly on global environmental issues in oral, written and graphic forms.
Take home exam
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 7 hours
Due: Released Monday Wk 13 2pm. Due Thursday 11pm 5 November
Weighting: 25%
Take home exam - details on ilearn.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify and analyse interconnections between environmental issues and broader dynamics in international politics.
- Communicate information accurately and clearly on global environmental issues in oral, written and graphic forms.
- Synthesise knowledge to develop an informed perspective on 'environmental citizenship' and individual responsibilities concerning global environmental challenges.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
Delivery
For lecture times and classrooms please consult the MQ Timetable website: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au. This website will display up-to-date information on your classes and classroom locations. At the time of publication we are planning to offer a mix of on-campus, discussion-board and zoom-based teaching.
Internal/ Special Circumstance students are expected to attend the following classes each week:
Lecture: Monday 12-2pm (combination of zoom and pre-recorded classes)
Tutorials: 2pm and 3pm. (A mix of on-campus and zoom tutorials will be offered, depending on Covid restrictions. Details to be provided via ilearn)
NOTE: Tutorials will begin in Week 1. Also, the Week 1 lecture will include approximately 1 hour of a synchronous zoom session (12-1) where we'll introduce ourselves to each other and I'll explain the unit administration. I encourage external students to attend this zoom session.
External students: The lecture is digitally recorded and can be downloaded from iLearn. You will also find lecture slides on ilearn .
External students are required to participate actively in discussion on the iLearn discussion forums (further details are given in the section on Assessment.)
External students are welcome to attend weekly lectures whenever they can.
Required resources:
There is one required text for this unit which should be available for purchase from the Macquarie University Coop Bookstore:
O’Neill, Kate (2016 2nd Edition) The Environment and International Relations. Cambridge, UK; New York: Cambridge University Press. If you have access to a copy of the first edition (2009) that will also be sufficient.
Access to this text will be necessary in order to complete the reading quizzes. Although the library has an electronic copy of this text, access through the library cannot be guaranteed. All other unit readings will all be available on ilearn or e-reserve. Students who wish to purchase an additional reference text might consider:
Axelrod Regina et al. (2014, 4th ed) The Global Environment: Institutions, Law and Policy, Washington. D.C.: CQ Press
Unit Schedule
Week 1 - 27 July
Introduction: Green Political Theory, Globalisation and the Anthropocene
*Tutorials commence in week 1 in this unit.
Week 2 - 3 Aug
International Relations Theory and Global Environmental Problems
First week of weekly ilearn reading quizzes that must be completed by Sunday 11pm each week (the evening before the lecture). Your grade is based on your best 6 scores out of 9 quizzes. Week 3-4 class activity on solar geoengineering is introduced in the Lecture and Tutorial this week.
Week 3 - 10 Aug (Reading quiz due 9 Aug)
Actors: States, Epistemic Communities, NGOs, Multinational Corporations.
NB: Please nominate which research question you will address this week via the iLearn discussion forum.
Week 4 - 17 Aug (Reading quiz due 16 Aug)
International Environmental Regimes
**Graded class participation activity due for internal students in this week's tutorial** Class participation notes to be submitted to ilearn by 11pm 18 August.
Week 5 - 24 Aug (Reading quiz due 23 Aug)
Intersecting Regimes: Environment, Trade and Security
Week 6 - 31 Aug (Reading quiz due 30 Aug)
Common Pool Resources: Forests, Airsheds and Fisheries
Week 7 - 7 Sept (Reading quiz due 6 Sept)
Global Public Goods: Climate change
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MID SEMESTER BREAK: 14 to 27 September
Week 8 - 28 September (Reading quiz due 27 Sept)
Energy Security
Week 9 - Labour Day Public Holiday - No Classes or Reading Quiz.
Essay due Tuesday 6 October 5pm
Week 10 - 12 Oct - (Final reading quiz due 11 Oct).
Food Security & Agriculture
Week 11 - 19 Oct
Biodiversity and Human–Animal Relationships
Week 12 - 26 Oct
Capitalism, Degrowth & Innovation
Week 13 - 2 November
Citizenship in the Anthropocene. Lecture but no tutorials this week.
Take-home exam opens Monday 2 November 2pm, closes Thursday 5 November 11 pm. I estimate most students will spend about I day (7-8 hours) on the take home exam.
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy (Note: The Special Consideration Policy is effective from 4 December 2017 and replaces the Disruption to Studies Policy.)
Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.